Serco employees raise £100,000 for Whizz-Kidz

Serco employees across the UK have raised £100,000 for Whizz-Kidz, a UK charity which aims to transform the lives of disabled children and young people through vital mobility equipment, skills training and work placements.

The money has been raised by Serco staff undertaking a variety of fundraising activities and events - from dress down days to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - on behalf of The Serco Foundation.

There are an estimated 70,000 disabled children and young people in the UK waiting for a wheelchair that fits their young lives and this donation will directly fund essential mobility equipment for these individuals throughout 2014.

Bob McGuiness, Chief Executive of Serco UK Central Government and Chair of the Serco Foundation commented: "There seems to be no limits to the efforts our UK staff will take to fundraise for this worthwhile cause. I am incredibly proud of their achievements and want to thank everyone who donated and took part in the various activities. The total amount raised will make a real difference to the lives of many disabled children and young people. Whizz-Kidz is a great cause and one that Serco is delighted to support again in 2014"

Whizz-Kidz CEO, Ruth Owen OBE, added: "I would like to thank everyone at Serco for their generosity and willingness to support Whizz-Kidz through fundraising, volunteering days, access to facilities and supplying work placements for the young people we help. Serco's latest contribution has meant that Whizz-Kidz can transform lives by providing vital mobility equipment that fits the lives of disabled children across the UK giving them freedom and independence."

In total, staff have raised a total of £125,000 for the charity to date. The first instalment of funds was made in October last year and directly funded a number of Wheelchair Skills Training sessions, supporting up to 120 disabled young people and helped Whizz-Kidz meet their aim to deliver 70 Wheelchair Skills Training courses in 2013.

Serco employees are continuing to raise money for the charity during 2014 to fund additional Wheelchair Skills Training, as well as Wheelchairs, Ambassador Clubs and Work Placements. Serco is also promoting volunteering opportunities, organising work placements and raising awareness of accessibility across its UK contracts in collaboration with Whizz-Kidz.

Note to editors
The Serco Foundation was established as part of Serco's 25th anniversary celebrations. It aims to create a legacy for the future and has one simple mission; to work with charities around the globe to help them realise their ambitions and achieve even more. Serco employees, on behalf of The Serco Foundation, chose children to be the global cause to champion until 2016. In response, The Serco Foundation then created the global 'Every Child Everywhere' initiative to bring this three year commitment to life and ensure that children have the best possible start in life. Subsequently, each region of Serco, on behalf of The Serco Foundation, chose a regional children's charity to champion. In the UK & Europe, employees voted to support Whizz-Kidz.